Notes & Outlines PSALMS

PSALMS

TITLE:

The title in Hebrew means Praises or Book of Praises. The title in the Greek suggests the idea of an instrumental accompaniment. Our title comes from the Greek psalmos.

WRITERS:

Many writers contributed one or more psalms. They are as follows: David, 73; Moses, 1 (90th); Solomon, 2; Sons of Korah, 11; Asaph, 12; Heman, 1 (88th); Ethan, 1 (89th); Hezekiah, 10; “Orphanic,” 39. David, “the sweet psalmist of Israel” (2 Samuel 23:1), has 73 psalms assigned to him (Psalm 2 is ascribed to him in Acts kjv@4:25; Psalm 95 in Hebrews 4:7). Also, he could be the author of some of the “Orphanic” psalms. He had a special aptitude for and was pecu- liarly endowed to write these songs from experience. He arranged those in existence in his day for temple use.

THEME:

Christ (the Messiah) is prominent throughout (Luke 24:44). The King and the kingdom are the theme songs of the Psalms.

KEY WORD:

KEY PSALM:

FEATURES:

The Psalms record deep devotion, intense feeling, exalted emotion, and dark dejection. The Psalms play with all the stops pulled out upon the keyboard of the human soul.

They run the psychological gamut. This book has been called the epitome and anatomy of the soul and designated as the garden of the Scriptures. The place Psalms have held in the lives of God’s people testifies to their universality, although they have a peculiar Jewish application. They express the deep feelings of all believing hearts in all generations.

The Psalms are full of Christ. There is a more complete picture of Him in Psalms than in the Gospels. The Gospels tell us that He went to the mountain to pray, but the Psalms give us His prayer. The Gospels tell us that He was crucified, but the Psalms tell us what went on in His own heart during the crucifixion The Gospels tell us He went back to heaven, but the Psalms begin where the Gospels leave off and show us Christ seated in heaven.

There are many types of psalms. Although all of them have Christ as the object of worship, some are technically called messianic psalms. These record the birth, life, death, resurrection, glory, priest- hood, kingship, and return of Christ. The imprecatory psalms have caused the most criticism because of their vindictiveness and prayers for judgment. (Christians are told to love their enemies.) These psalms come from a time of war and from a people who, under law, were looking for justice and peace on the earth. They look to a time coming on the earth when the Antichrist will be in power. We have no reasonable basis to say how people should act and what they should say under those circumstances. Other types of psalms include peni- tential, historic, nature, pilgrim, Hallel, missionary, puritan, acrostic, and praise of God’s Word.

kjv@Psalms:119, an acrostic in the heart of this section, refers to the Word of God in almost every verse. It is the longest chapter in the Bible.

COMMENT: One of the more noticeable features about the Book of Psalms is the systematic arrangement. This reveals that they were not put together in a haphazard manner; there is definite organization.

The major divisions correspond to the Pentateuch (see outline). This is not an artificial division but follows rather closely the Pentateuch of Moses. In each major division there are lesser divisions of clusters and series of psalms which develop a particular subject.

The Psalms were probably all set to music, both vocal and instru- mental. It must have been a thrilling experience to hear several thou- sand voices singing them to the accompaniment of a great orchestra. Psalm 150, probably the theme of the book, could well be the chorus of every psalm.

I. Genesis section, kjv@Psalms:1-41

Man in a state of blessedness, fall, and recovery (Man in View)

It has been well stated that the Book of Genesis is the entire Bible in miniature — all great truths of Scripture are germinal in Genesis. The first few psalms cover the entire Book of Psalms in the same way.

Jehovah and Elohim are the two names for God in this section, although Jehovah occurs more often:

Jehovah (Redeemer) — 272 times

Elohim (Creator) — 15 times

kjv@Psalms:1: Perfect Man (last Adam) The Blessed Man is contrasted to the ungodly man. This psalm, which opens the Genesis section, begins with man instead of the material universe. The Blessed Man here is not the first Adam but the last Adam. He is not in an ideal Garden of Eden but is in the midst of the ungodly, sinners, and the scornful.kjv@Psalms:1:1-2 — Practice of the Blessed Man (kjv@Psalms::1 negative; kjv@Psalms::2 positive)kjv@Psalms:1:3 — Power of the Blessed Man (“Rivers of water” is the Word of God.)kjv@Psalms:1:4-6 — Permanency of the Blessed Man (Ungodly will perish; the Lord knows the way of the righteous.)

Two Men — Two Ways — Two Destinies

kjv@Psalms:2 - Rebellious man Drama of the ages: man’s rebellion against God. Another has termed it “the decisive declaration concerning the outcome of events and forces at work today.”

The truly messianic character of this psalm is revealed in the fact that it is quoted as such 7 times in the New Testament. Rebellion against God and Christ began at the arrest of Jesus (kjv@Acts:4:23-26). It has gained momentum down through the ages and will finally break in a mounting and mighty crescendo.

This second Psalm can be seen like a television program with one camera on earth and another in heaven.

kjv@Psalms:2:1-3 — The camera on earth comes on, showing the peoples and rulers raging against God and Christ.

kjv@Psalms:2:4-6 — The camera in heaven comes on, revealing that God the Father is unmoved by this ridiculous rebellion of little man. He pur- sues His plan of putting His King on the throne of this earth.

kjv@Psalms:2:7-9 — The camera in heaven shifts to the right hand of the Father. God the Son asserts His authority to carry through the decree because of His resurrection (Acts 13:33). He will come to judge the nations.

kjv@Psalms:2:10-12 — The camera on earth comes on. God the Holy Spirit invites men to accept the Savior. “Kiss the Son” is to “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31).

kjv@Psalms:3-7 - Sorrows of God’s remnant These 5 psalms form a brief series which deals with the sorrows of God’s godly remnant. The reference is directly to the Tribulation (Psalm 3:1).

kjv@Psalms:3 - Perfect Man rejected Morning prayer. The trials of the godly in Israel. Since trials are common to all of God’s people, the comfort is for all also.

kjv@Psalms:4 - Conflict between Seed of woman and serpent Evening prayer (to be sung to the accompaniment of stringed instruments). This is the plea of the Son of man and those who plead in His name.

kjv@Psalms:6 - Perfect Man in midst of chastisement (bruising heel) Darkness, distress, and death. The first penitential psalm. Trials produce a broken spirit. The plea of David is that God will judge him in mercy and not anger.

kjv@Psalms:7 - Perfect Man in midst of false witnesses Cry for revenge. Cush, the Benjamite, may be Saul. This is prophetically the cry of the remnant during the Great Tribulation. This concludes the first cluster of 5 psalms.

kjv@Psalms:8 - Repair of man comes through Man (bruising head) Messianic psalm. God’s Man (quoted 3 times in the New Testament). It emphasizes the humanity of Christ and His ultimate victory as Man (Hebrews kjv@2:6-8; 1 Corinthians 15:27).

kjv@Psalms:9-15 - Enemy and Antichrist conflict; final deliverance Most in this series of 7 psalms are written by David.

kjv@Psalms:25-39 - The future of God’s remnant This series of 15 psalms primarily records David’s personal experi- ence, but they also look to the future when the godly remnant is in trouble. For the comfort of believers today, they contain the balm of Gilead.

kjv@Psalms:33 - Praises of redeemed people. God is worshiped as Creator, as providential Ruler. He is praised for His majestic and matchless grace. Notice the method of creation (kjv@Psalms:33:6) — God spoke into existence all of creation.

kjv@Psalms:38 - Confession and physical sickness; David in deep dis- tress prays that God will not judge him in anger (kjv@Psalms::1). This is real conviction (kjv@Psalms:38:2). His physical sickness is the result of sin (kjv@Psalms:38:3). Disease, the result of his foolishness, is followed by mental anguish (kjv@Psalms:38:5-8). Some dare to say that this refers to Christ and that He had a diseased body. They use kjv@Matthew:8:17. Jesus, however, was holy, harmless and separate from sin. He could not be the spotless Lamb offered for our sin if He were diseased — disease is the result of sin. Death is also. Jesus did not have to die — He said, “No man taketh my life from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again” (kjv@John:10:18). On the cross He dismissed His spirit (kjv@John:19:30).

kjv@Psalms:39 - A psalm for funerals. The vanity and feebleness of humanity. This is the last psalm in the series beginning with kjv@Psalms:25.

kjv@Psalms:41 - Messianic psalm. It opens with “blessed” and closes with “blessed.” Jesus quoted this reference to Judas (kjv@Psalms:41:9) in kjv@John:13:18, and Peter referred to it in Acts kjv@1:16. This is the last psalm in the Genesis section. It closes on the high hope of the resurrection (kjv@Psalms:41:10). What a contrast to “a coffin in Egypt” which concludes the book of Genesis. David is the writer of 37 of these 41 psalms.

Ruin and Redemption (Israel in View) (David wrote 19 of these psalms.)

kjv@Psalms:42-49 - Israel’s ruin. This series of 7 psalms by the sons of Korah are prophetic pictures of Israel in the last days.

kjv@Psalms:42 - Heart cry of the remnant and applicable to the redeemed of all ages. It concludes with the heart cry of hope for deliverance (kjv@Psalms:42:11). This is not redemption by blood which took place in Egypt at the death of the firstborn; it is redemption by power which took place at the Red Sea.

Peril and Protection of Pilgrims (Earth in View). We do not become pilgrims until we become strangers.

kjv@Psalms:90 - Dirge of death and darkness by Moses. Moses witnesses the deaths of 1 1/2 million Israelites who came with him out of Egypt but perish in the wilderness. The wilderness becomes a vast cemetery. “Secret sin on earth is open scandal in heaven” (see kjv@Psalms:90:8).

kjv@Psalms:106 - Hymn to God in history, confessing Israel’s failure and God’s faithfulness. This psalm is the first to begin and end with “Hallelujah.” It is the psalm of pilgrims in the wilderness of this world.

Perfection and Praise of the Word of God. Before we can know Him, we must know the Word. Sin came through the broken Word; Israel scattered through the broken Word; Sanctuary destroyed through the broken Word.

kjv@Psalms:119 - Praise to the Word of God. Some reference to the Word of God is in every verse (except kjv@Psalms:119:122, kjv@Psalms:119:1132), designated word, saying, way, testimonies, judgments, precepts, commandments, law, statutes, and faithfulness. The psalm is a perfect acrostic (see text), in 22 sections corresponding to the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

kjv@Psalms:120-134 - Pilgrim psalms“Songs of the Pilgrim Caravans,” “Songs of Ascents,” “Songs of Degrees.” The key is kjv@Psalms@122:3-4 Jerusalem is builded as a city that is compact together, whither the tribes go up, the tribes of the LORD, unto the testimony of Israel, to give thanks unto the name of the LORD. As the tribes of Israel go up to Jerusalem to worship at the appointed feast days — Passover, Pentecost, Tabernacles — they sing these psalms. Notice the ascent. They were to be going and growing spiritually in the same way.

kjv@Psalms:136 - Another hallelujah psalm. Praise of His mercy — in creation, in redemption, in fighting enemies, and for the future glory.

kjv@Psalms:137 - By the canals of Babylon. Some captive wrote this during the Babylonian captivity as he thought of Jerusalem and the temple. It is the experience of the captives away from home and in slavery.

kjv@Psalms:137:1-2 — Central experience: deeply dejected in a strange land; weeping as they remember Zion. They have no heart to sing but put their harps on a willow tree.

kjv@Psalms:137:3-4 — Critical experience: Babylonians, having heard of the songs sung in the temple, ask the captives to sing. They cannot sing in a strange land, out of the will of God.

kjv@Psalms:137:5-9 — Crowning experience: repentant, asking God for justice according to the Mosaic Law (“eye for eye, tooth for tooth” (kjv@Exodus:21:24)). This is an imprecatory psalm, law of retaliation, lex talionis.

kjv@Psalms:140 - Prophetic prayer for deliverance from “the evil man” (kjv@Psalms:140:1) or “man of sin” (prophetic of the remnant in the midst of their enemies). Imprecatory: cry for justice according to law.

kjv@Psalms:141 - David sends out an SOS. His prayer arises from some unknown experience. The application is to the remnant in the final struggle against evil.

kjv@Psalms:142 - Prayer of David in the cave of Adullam (kjv@1Samuel:22:1-2). Here is where David’s suffering begins. These are an adumbration of the sufferings of Christ, although some of David’s suffering resulted from his own sin and cannot represent the sufferings of the spotless Savior.

kjv@Psalms:143 - Prayer of David to the faithfulness, righteousness, and lovingkindness of God. As it has been said, “David was in love with prayer.”

kjv@Psalms:144 - David’s praise to God because of who He is; his prayer is for the same reason.

kjv@Psalms:145 - Praise of David to God because of who He is and what He does. It looks forward to the praise of the redeemed and restored remnant in the kingdom. This is the last psalm of David.

kjv@Psalms:146-150 - Hallelujah psalmsThe Book of Psalms concludes with 5 hallelujah psalms. Each begins and ends with a “hallelujah.” The night of sin and suffering is over. Weeping is past and joy has come in the morning of the Millennium. The Book of Revelation also concludes with 4 hallelujahs (kjv@Revelation:19).

kjv@Psalms:147 - A hallelujah chorus because of God’s goodness to the earth and to Jerusalem. He is Creator, Preserver, and Keeper.kjv@Psalms:148 - A hallelujah chorus of all God’s created intelligences in the heavens and in the earth (kjv@Revelation:5:11-13; kjv@Revelation:19:1-6).kjv@Psalms:149 - A hallelujah chorus because the kingdom has come through redemption by blood and judgment by power.kjv@Psalms:150 - A hallelujah chorus with orchestra — singing and playing with all the stops pulled out. Glory to God in the highest; peace on earth has come in the person of the King. Stops pulled out on Creation’s organ:

These notes, prepared by J. Vernon McGee, are for the purpose of giving assistance to the listeners of the THRU THE BIBLE RADIO program. They are to be used with the Bible and will be more meaningful as you look up all the Scripture references. Due to the necessary brevity of both notes and broadcasts, a list of recommended books is included for those wanting a more detailed study. These books may be obtained from a Christian library or bookstore or ordered from the publishers.